Residents' Association Forum

2011/5619 - forty foot extension of the two platforms at the station to accommodate 12-car trains (Also to be done at Hampton Court). Can only be a good thing that there continues to be investment and upgrading on our branch line.

Great news! Let's just hope they actually run 10 or 12 car trains on the line though. I joined a train yesterday at Thames Ditton going into London yesterday, and it was standing room only - no surprise, as it was only a 4 car train!

12 car coaches would be fantastic. Now what about that fast train that runs direct from Surbiton? (or is that asking too much!!)

The rush yesterday would be the extra traffic of people from the Hampton Court food festival.

You'd think they would change the Sunday/ p/h schedule when there is something on at Hampton Court but I guess that's always a little more difficult than it sounds.

We went along again this year but felt a bit cheated that it was on the green rather than in the Hampton Court grounds proper.

Should not have made a difference -> but we felt that made it lose some of its charm... mind you we might also have been influenced by the fact we caught the end of it yesterday afternoon and also got rained on!!

Still great fun though!

Quote from: Rhodrich on May 31, 2011, 01:46:24 PM

Great news! Let's just hope they actually run 10 or 12 car trains on the line though. I joined a train yesterday at Thames Ditton going into London yesterday, and it was standing room only - no surprise, as it was only a 4 car train!

Good. It is really encouraging that SWT/NR are prepared to invest in our station, while so many other things are being cut back. I was worried that despite the seasonal passenger traffic for Hampton Court and the commuter rush hours, their figures might show the branch line was not really viable in these times. Perhaps it isn't viable without the 12 car trains in peak hours. With the problems hanging over the future redevelopment of the station at Hampton Court, the railway authorities might have been temtped to cut the whole thing? I hope the nimbys don't make a silly fuss about it. They would look sick if the line closed and the value of all our houses plummeted.

I am very happy that there is some investment in the station and I support the longer platforms. I like the coffee bar too. When are they going to clean up the litter down the embankment, and can that be made a condition of this plan?

This proposal is within the permittted rights of the railway authority and is therefore more of a notification than a planning application. The planning officer/EBC will be asked to request certain conditions be respected during the works, and to ensure minimal disturbance of neighbouring residents by light pollution, with suitable screening of the extensions.

Separately, we're trying to get SW Trains to clear the embankment of the appalling accumulation of litter there, which residents on that side of Basingfield Road face onto.

Latest on this one: To assess the concerns of residents particularly along Basingfield Road, and see what can practicably be done in cooperation with Network Rail to mitigate them, our councillor Sandra Dennis will meet residents on either Wednesday 22nd or Thursday 23rd June. She intends to go over any individual concerns they have and view the site from their gardens if appropriate. If you have concerns and may wish to attend this meeting, please get in touch with Sandra (details on contact page).

Meanwhile (a) there has been a number of objections submitted to EBC's planning portal under ref 2011/5619 but no supporters. (b) Network Rail have submitted some clarifications which should go some way towards mitigating concerns - see document here: http://www3.elmbridge.gov.uk/WAM/doc/Other%20Documents-956742.pdf?extension=.pdf&id=956742&location=Volume2&contentType=application/pdf&pageCount=1

Am I the only one here who thinks it's a shame that there have been so many objections to what seems like a perfectly sensible and straightforward proposal?

I am of the view that if you buy a house next to a railway line that's been there for a lot longer than not only you, but the house too, then you can't complain when improvement work is done on that railway line. The railway is part of the lifeblood of the village, and we should be encouraging development work to it.

As long as Network Rail are sensible with their working hours during the construction (which I'm sure will only be for a short period of time anyway), then I really can't see a problem. This sort of investment in the village infrastructure can only be a good thing.

I agree with you (and from conversations around the village so do many others). The platform extensions are going ahead and are within permitted rights. But for residents directly affected this is not a wholly positive matter, and if a few practical things can be done to mitigate problems with the cooperation of Network Rail (as seems very likely to be the case) and the consensus of all, then so much the better.

Latest is that just before the Elmbridge Planning Committee meeting this evening, Network Rail temporarily withdrew their notified proposals so that they can work on some better ones to take into account concerns raised.

Following consultation with residents, our councillor Sandra Dennis had been in touch with Network Rail to suggest additional screening and security enhancements to protect the folk in Basingfield Rd., and to put some other questions with implications, such as what the platforms themselves would be made of. Network Rail would like some time to do some surveys and see if they can address the concerns raised. They want to work constructively with us and with good intent will resubmit an application in the next few weeks.

Time has passed, and following a telephone enquiry from a resident today I asked colleagues where things stood. Our councillor Sandra Dennis swiftly responds that Network Rail have asked a specialist company to draw up proposals for screening the extensions from Basingfield Road, in dialogue with the planning officer. NR seem genuinely to be taking a sympathetic approach to the concerns of residents and trying to address them. That they are taking things steadily could be a good sign - but please keep an eye open for the expected renewed application in case others don't spot it early..